Edited by: Mike Powell
Reviewed by: Abby TexasLast Update:
The Rundown
Best Overall: Pet Neat 2-Sided Pet Grooming Tool
“With a 2-in-1 dual head for versatility and a no-scratch round stainless steel teeth, the Pet Neat 2-Sided Pet Grooming Tool can effectively gather and remove loose hair making it perfect for de-matting.”
Best Value for Money: Lilpep Pet Bath Brush
“Featuring an adjustable size and on hand-design, the Lilpep Pet Bath Brush is perfect for giving your pup a comfortable grooming experience at an affordable rate.”
Premium Option: Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush
“The Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush has a self-cleaning slicker brush design and strong wire bristles that can make your poodle’s coat shine and skin glow. It’s the best slicker brush on the market today.”
Purebred poodles have lovely, curly fur that hardly sheds! Their coat is a single layer, which makes life easier when it comes to cleaning and grooming.
Even so, choosing the best brush for Poodles is essential for both you and your dog to have a good grooming experience.
Here’s our top seven!
Table of Contents
Best Brush for Poodles in 2021
Pet Neat 2-Sided Pet Grooming Tool
Best De-Matting Brush
PROS
- 2-in-1 dual head for versatility
- No-scratch round stainless steel teeth for extra safety
- Non-slip, ergonomic handle
- Effectively gathers and removes loose hair
CONS
- May be too big for a miniature Poodle
If your Poodle’s curly coat sheds more than average or tends to get matted easily, the Pet Neat 2-Sided Pet Grooming Tool could make your life easier. It works well on standard Poodles, but may be slightly too large for a mini.
It’s user-friendly and safe, too. Even if your Poodle doesn’t shed a lot, it’s worth having as a de-matting tool, to remove stubborn knots.
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Safe and Effective
This versatile tool features a dual head. One side has 22 large, rounded, stainless steel teeth that are ideal for working through tangles. The other is a finer, 87-tooth comb, perfect for thinning and removing dead hair.
Both mini and standard Poodles’ fur will benefit from this, as it helps reach and remove debris that gets stuck in their curls. It may be too big for some small miniatures, though.
Not only are both blades rounded to prevent scratching your dog, but the handle is ergonomic and non-slip, providing safety from both sides.
Lilpep Pet Bath Brush
Best Value for Money
PROS
- More affordable than many others
- Adjustable size for easy use
- Made of high-quality TPR rubber
- Soft and easy on the skin
CONS
- May not get to deep tangles
If you’re looking for a high-quality brush for Poodles that’s affordable, the Lilpep Pet Bath Brush would do the trick. It’s soft, easy on your Poodle’s skin, and very easy to use.
The on-hand design also makes Poodle grooming more like bonding and less like a chore! It’s just like stroking your dog, so you can reach places a little more naturally. Your dog may feel a little more comfortable with this if they’re sensitive or fearful of new things like brushes.
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Good for Surface Brushing
The soft TPR rubber of this brush will go easy on your Poodle’s skin and provide a pleasant sensation with no chance of injury.
The rubber bristles are soft, which means they’re safe and comfy on your dog’s skin, but may not reach the deep tangles in your dog’s coat.
This would be a great brush to add to your collection if you’re looking for something you can use to brush through your Poodle’s coat and give it a shine.
Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush
Premium Option
PROS
- Super easy to clean
- Comfort grip and anti-slip handle
- Short, bent wire bristles
- “Hidden bristle” design to keep it clean and safe
CONS
- No safety tips on the bristles
The Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush is the best slicker brush we’ve found. It’s a top-rated, self-cleaning slicker brush design, which is unusual but highly practical. The wire bristles are strong enough to work through deep tangles, while giving your Poodle’s coat a shine and their skin a glow at the same time.
We recommend it for both a standard Poodle and a miniature Poodles.
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Easy to Use
The retractable bristle design means that your brush stays cleaner in between uses. Simply push the button to expose the bristles, and push it once again when you’re done to retract them, leaving all the dead hair behind.
The only downside is that there are no safety tips on the stainless steel bristles, but if you’re gentle there should be no problem using it on your Poodle. An ergonomic, anti-slip handle means it’s easy on the human, too.
Chris Christensen – Big G Slicker Brush
Best Large Brush
PROS
- Removes tangles and fluffs coats
- Works through the coat to the root
- Specially bent pins to reach deeper
- Extra long ergonomic handle
CONS
- Too big for small Poodles
The Big G Slicker Brush wins the position of best slicker brush for large Poodles. A standard Poodle would benefit from it, but it won’t be the best brush for the little ones. If you have a standard Poodle, it should work well. If you‘ll be brushing more than one Poodle pet, it may be better to go with something else.
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Large and Effective
This top-rated slicker brush features bent pins that would deal well with the curly coat of a standard Poodle. They reach deeply into their coat and aim to remove mats from the root.
The pins aren’t coated, so you’ll need to take extra care when using this dog brush that you don’t scratch your Poodle.
If you do have a big standard Poodle who would benefit from a slicker brush with a larger surface area, we recommend this as one of the best brushes.
Hertzko Soft Pet Brush
Best Soft Brush
PROS
- Plastic bristles with rounded ends
- Thumb rest for easy use
- Great for sensitive skin
- Money-back guarantee
CONS
- The teeth are more fragile than stainless steel ones
If you have a Poodle with sensitive skin and you’re worried about using a slicker brush, the Hertzko Soft Pet Brush might work better for you. It’s a soft plastic brush that should go very easy on your dog’s skin while still facilitating effective Poodle grooming.
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Great for Sensitive Skin
The soft nature of this brush makes it good for dogs who have had bad experiences with a stainless steel pin brush, or simply have sensitive skin and need some extra care.
It’s also easy for the human involved to hold and maneuver, with an anti-slip, comfort grip handle.
The pin brush bristles are actually slightly slanted, which may help some but might be annoying for others.
Either way, it’s still a good dog brush and will remove loose fur and light tangles well.
Hartz Groomer’s Best Combo Detangling Dog Brush
Best 2-in-1 Brush
PROS
- Bristle brush and pin brush
- Nylon bristles
- Steel pins with brush head safety tips
- Thicker, comfier handle
CONS
- Can be hard to clean
A two-sided brush can be a great tool! The Hartz Groomer's Dog Brush is a double-sided brush featuring a side of bristles, and the other side a pin brush. Both a standard Poodle and a smaller one would benefit from a brush like this.
A pin brush is the best brush for Poodle hair to stay shiny and healthy-looking. Poodle grooming becomes easier when you have two options on one dog brush!
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Versatile Dog Brush
The pin brush side is great for working out light tangles. Because a standard Poodle only has a single-layer coat, if your dog doesn’t roll in anything or get very dirty, you should be able to brush out most tangles with a pin brush.
The bristle side is superb for hard brushing to stimulate the circulation and make Poodles’ hair look beautiful and sleek.
Burt’s Bees Double-Sided Pin and Hemp Bristle Dog Brush
Best Wooden Brush
PROS
- Wooden handle
- Available in two sizes
- Double-sided
- Rounded pins on brush head
CONS
- Slightly more pricey than others
The Burt's Bees Dog Brush is another two-sided one, which offers two types of brush for your convenience. A bristle brush is best for short-haired dogs who need a good once-over groom to shine them up a bit, and a pin brush gets rid of surface knots.
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Wooden Handle
You may be wondering why a wooden handle matters. Well the wood absorbs your Poodle’s natural body oils and helps to distribute them across the skin and fur, giving it even more of a shine and a sheen.
You can brush a standard Poodle quite vigorously to get the circulation going. We’d recommend brushing a little one more gently, just to be safe.
Different Types of Poodle Brushes
Slicker Brush
Slicker brushes are one of the best brushes. If you’ve ever seen a brush with very fine wires packed closely together, that’s a slicker brush!
These types of brushes are great for just about all dogs. They’re often used for dogs with double coats, as the wires penetrate deep into the hair and untangle knots, remove loose hair, and smooth out matted fur.
For dogs like Poodles who have just a single coat, the magic of a slicker brush is not lost. They’re still super for getting rid of mats and tangles, and the fact that they wires are small and close together means that pressure is evenly distributed, making the experience a comfortable one for your dog.
If your dog is very matted, be gentle with the slicker brush. It can pull at tangled fur and in turn pull on the skin, causing pain and discomfort. Just be gentle and slow, and it should be all good.
Bristle Brush
Bristle brushes have short, densely-packed, bristly hairs. They’re designed for dogs with short coats, so using one of these on your Poodle would probably work quite well.
They’re made in such a way that vigorous brushing with one of these brushes stimulates blood flow and helps nourish the skin and fur better, while removing dead hair and skin from the surface.
Bristle brushes aren’t great for getting rid of deep mats and tangles. They’re amazing for smoothing the coat and giving your dog something like a massage, but if your Poodle is very matted they’ll need another brush to do the deep diving before the bristle brush finishes off.
Choose from softer or firmer bristles. If your Poodle has soft, smooth hair, they’ll benefit from a soft-bristled brush. Poodles with coarse fur may need firmer bristles to get through it nicely.
Comb
Just like a human comb, these types of brushes are fantastic for removing small, fiddly knots in your Poodle’s coat. They’re often used after a full grooming, just to get rid of any remaining tangles.
You won’t use a comb to work through large knots. It’s too fiddly, and can end up hurting your dog or breaking the comb! Nobody wants comb teeth stuck in their Poodle’s fur.
They’re good tools for show Poodles. You can run a comb through their coat after grooming just to iron out any small wrinkles and give the coat that fluffy effect.
Pin Brush
These brushes look just like a human hair brush, with metal bristles that often have a plastic “safety cap” on the ends.
They’re good for really smoothing out a coat, and are slightly more effective than a bristle brush due to their firmer wires.
Shedding/De-matting Brush
Poodles don’t shed much, so it’s not necessary to get them a special deshedding brush. This type of brush is designed for dogs with double coats.
If your Poodle does shed more than average, though, you may consider getting one of these. They’re specifically made to remove loose, dead hair.
6 Tips for Brushing Your Poodle
1: Do It Often!
Whether your dog is a standard Poodle or a toy Poodle, their coat needs regular maintenance. Poodles don’t have an undercoat, but they can become very matted due to those curls!
Loose hair, dirt, and debris can easily become tangled in their curls, creating nasty mats and tangles.
It can be easy to not see the tangles beneath those pretty curls. Brushing often gets rid of tangles before they get really stuck in and become a problem and a pain to remove.
2: Make Sure You Can Reach Everywhere
Don’t try to brush your Poodle while he’s sitting in his bed. You need to be able to reach everywhere, so it’s best to have him or her standing up, on a table or high surface if possible.
Somewhere that’s at the right height for you to stand and brush is perfect. If you can find a spot that’s easy for you to circle so you can come at your Poodle from every side, that would be even better.
3: Do It When Your Poodle’s Coat Is Dry
It might be tempting to comb your Poodle when their coat is wet, but this can actually cause even worse knots.
If it’s brushing time and your Poodle has got him or herself wet, either wait until they’re dry, or quickly dry them yourself.
You’ll need to ensure they’re properly and completely dry, though! A hair dryer is your best option, if your dog can handle it.
If not, it’s best to skip the brush for the day and wait until they’re dry again.
4: Use Different Brushes
Combs are great for feeling out where tangles are. Once you’ve found them, a slicker brush is very effective at getting them out.
Once your Poodle’s coat is knot-free, you can use a pin brush or bristle brush to give it a final once-over, making them look sleek and smooth.
You can get away with using just a slicker brush or just a pin brush, but the job will be harder, take longer, and your Poodle won’t look as pretty at the end!
5: Don’t Rush
Make sure you dedicate at least 15 minutes every day (or every other day, once a week at the least) to brushing your dog.
That’s enough time to do it thoroughly and properly. If you do half a job, you may as well not do it at all! You need to take the time to brush out tangles and mats, especially in places that could become a problem, like under the legs and behind the ears.
6: End Off With A Vigorous Brush
Once you’ve got rid of the tangles and mats, it’s a good idea to end off the grooming session with a vigorous brush. A pin brush or bristle brush is the best one for this, as you can really put some elbow into it!
Be sure not to hurt your Poodle, though. You just want to stimulate blood flow, give their curly coat a shine, and make them look sleek and healthy.
Questions & Answers
What Is The Best Way to Brush a Poodle?
You’ll learn what works as time goes. But Poodle owners who are new to it, here’s the simplest way to begin grooming your Poodle.
- Use Your Comb
Go through their coat with a comb, feeling gently for tangles and mats.
- Use Your Slicker Brush
When you find knots, brush them out with the slicker brush. Take care to be gentle and try not to pull at their skin!
- Use your Pin/Bristle Brush
Once the knots are out, gently groom their face with a pin or bristle brush. Give their coat a final vigorous brush. This will have them looking sleek and shiny!
How Often Should You Brush Your Poodle?
If you can give your Poodle a brush every day, that’s great. If not, at least once a week is the minimum you should brush them to keep that fur unmatted and healthy.
If you brush your dog once per week and you’re having trouble removing mats, it’s a sure sign you need to be brushing them more often.
Up it to twice per week and take note of it the mats improve.
Should I Brush My Poodle Wet or Dry?
Dry, dry, dry! Brushing your Poodle when they’re wet can actually make tangles worse. Loose hair can get stuck to hair that’s attached, and cause some chaos.
It’s always best to groom your Poodle when they’re completely dry. If brushing time comes and your Poodle happens to be wet, or even just a little damp, rather skip the brush until they’re totally dry.
Which Dog Brush Should I Use?
You should have a variety of dog brushes in your collection. A comb is a great tool for finding the mats in your Poodle’s curly coat.
A slicker brush is a must for brushing those tangles out. Pin brushes may work well on less tight curls. You can use a pin brush for surface brushing, or a bristle brush, depending on your preference.
If your Poodle struggles with bad matting, a dematting tool could be a helpful addition.